Meet Juli Madacey

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Juli Madacey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Juli, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

It turns out, when you’ve spent your whole life performing for approval, it’s pretty damned hard to know what you actually think or feel—because you spent all your time and energy editing yourself for someone else’s comfort.

I grew up in a stable, loving home, but it was also steeped in traditional, patriarchal values. I was raised to be a “good girl”—to never disagree, never cause discomfort, and never put my needs before anyone else’s. It wasn’t until my 30s that I realised I had no idea what I believed. All I had was a collection of the opinions I’d inherited.

I spent a lot of my early adulthood floating—letting others lead, tolerating toxic relationships, and unable to recognise my own potential. Then, around the time I turned 40, something clicked. I stopped waiting for someone to give me permission to live the life I wanted, and I did all the things I’d been putting off: I ran a marathon, jumped out of a plane, travelled solo, and started making decisions for me. It was exhilarating. And terrifying.

Years later, burnout hit hard. I’d worked 25+ years in HR, my last position brought a different kind of growth: the kind that comes from breaking down before breaking through. After having 12 different bosses in 11 years, and a work environment that resulted in a month-long sick leave where I couldn’t walk to the mailbox without needing to rest, I knew I needed change. That change came with a move to Italy, a career shift, and a total identity reset—right as I hit menopause.

Confidence didn’t come overnight. It came through coaching, deep personal work, and a lot of unlearning. It started by working on self-acceptance, because for women like me, going straight from self-loathing to self-love is too big of a leap. And little by little, I built a relationship with the woman in the mirror.

Today, I coach women over 40 to do the same. We don’t need to shrink, apologise, or wait anymore. We’ve earned our place—now it’s time to own it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a menopause and midlife health coach for women over 40 who are tired of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or made to feel like they’re “just getting old.”

Through my company, Fabulous Beyond 40, my business partner James and I coach women through the chaos of perimenopause and post-menopause using a realistic, 360-degree approach grounded in science, holistic health, and lived experience (with a generous dash of sarcasm and fun, naturally).

What makes us different? For starters, we don’t do cookie-cutter plans, toxic positivity, or one-size-fits-all advice. Our coaching is built on four pillars—THINK, EAT, MOVE, and LIVE—because health at this stage of life isn’t just about green smoothies and tracking steps. It’s about mindset, stress, strength, sleep, confidence, boundaries, joy… and not losing your mind in the process.

We started this business because we couldn’t find a program that truly supported women like our clients—so we built one. Club Fabulous Beyond 40 is the resource I wish I’d had when I was falling apart trying to hold everything together. It offers expert guidance and community support to help women feel like themselves again, only better.

Right now, we’re also offering a new Menopause Impact Assessment: a 45-minute coaching session that helps women finally connect the dots between their symptoms and their health, and leave with a personalised action plan. It’s the perfect starting point for anyone who feels “off” but can’t get answers.

We also host the Empower Your Menopause podcast, where we tackle the stuff no one talks about—from hydration and hormones to rediscovering joy—with a mix of expert guests, real talk, and our own brand of humour. And behind the scenes? We’re laying the groundwork for corporate menopause wellness programmes and VIP retreats in Italy and Greece—because midlife reinvention deserves a passport stamp.

On a personal note, I live in a small Italian village with my English husband and our Italian dog, Bill. I’m a recovering people-pleaser turned accidental entrepreneur, and I genuinely love helping women remember who they are—and become the kind of badass they were always meant to be.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three most impactful things in my journey weren’t the ones I expected. They weren’t technical skills or certifications (though I’ve got plenty). They were:

1. Self-awareness: This was the hardest and most humbling skill to build—and the most powerful. I had to get honest with myself about the patterns I kept repeating, the stories I was telling, and the limits I was unconsciously enforcing. Self-awareness doesn’t come from overthinking or journaling into oblivion. It comes from being brave enough to see yourself clearly—and kind enough to accept what you find.

How to build it? Slow down. Ask better questions. Work with a coach or therapist if you can. And don’t be afraid of your own truth—it’s the starting point for everything.

2. Resilience: And not the kind that looks good on a motivational quote. This is the kind where you get knocked down for the 42nd time and still decide to try again anyway. For me, this came through burnout, reinvention, and a lot of uncomfortable growth. Resilience isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about learning how to rest, recalibrate, and keep going with wisdom instead of just willpower.

How to build it? Let go of perfection. Embrace the mess. Take consistent, imperfect action and give yourself more grace than you think you deserve.

3. Curiosity: This one saved me. When I stopped judging myself and started getting curious—about my body, my beliefs, my reactions—everything shifted. Curiosity opens the door to growth without shame. It’s how I went from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What do I need right now?”

How to build it? Replace judgment with questions. Get comfortable not knowing. Stay open, stay playful, and let curiosity pull you forward when motivation fizzles.

If you’re early in your journey, know this: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to keep showing up, even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy. That’s where the magic lives.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I lost my mum when I was 19. She was only 48. And as much as that shattered me, it also gave me an early—and brutal—education in just how fragile life really is.

If I had only a decade left, I wouldn’t spend it chasing achievements or trying to be all things to all people. I’ve done that before, and it nearly broke me. I’d spend it doing the things I love, with the people I love—simple as that.

That means fewer “somedays” and more right nows. I’d write the book. Host the retreat. Paddle on the lakes, hike in the mountains, cycle through Italian villages, and absolutely have the gelato—without apology. I’d still coach, because helping women stop fighting their bodies and start living in them is one of the great joys of my life. But I’d strip away the hustle and the pressure. Life’s too short for anything less.

And as a practical person, I’d also spend time leaving a clean slate for the people I love. I’ve seen what happens when someone dies and leaves behind a house full of unresolved emotions and old paperwork. I don’t want that for the people who survive me. So yes, I’d KonMari my house and tie up loose ends—not because I’m morbid, but because that’s love too.

There’s so much beauty to be found, even when life doesn’t look like we expected. Even when money’s tight or things feel messy. And I think that’s the real lesson: you don’t need a perfect life to have a meaningful one. You just need presence, purpose, and the courage to live it on your own terms.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Cristina Crippa, Thaís Carvalho

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